Vancouver police say they’ve arrested a man wanted in connection with the alleged assault of a woman and her toddler in Chinatown. They say a witness recognized the suspect from media reports and flagged over a VPD officer who was patrolling the neighborhood. The 27-year-old man had been wanted for failing to attend court after the alleged July 9 assault, and police say he’s also being investigated for a number of other offences in the Downtown Eastside and Chinatown the same day. A video of the assault distributed by police shows a shirtless man running into a woman and a small child.
The BC government has announced a cooling-off period aimed at protecting potential homebuyers, but the province’s real estate association says it won’t make a big difference as a hot market is stabilizing. Finance Minister Selina Robinson says buyers will have three days for their due diligence — such as getting a home inspection — instead of rushing to buy a place that could later cost them thousands of dollars in repairs. She says the plan — which takes effect next January — will give people peace of mind as they make one of the biggest purchases of their lives. However, Trevor Koots from the BC Real Estate Association says consumers would be better served by a five-day pre-offer period to allow them to compare homes while properties could be exposed to a broader market so buyers and sellers don’t have to react quickly as offers are made.
An immigrant who was detained for three months at the women’s prison in Maple Ridge after seeking asylum in 2012 says BC’s decision to end its immigration detention arrangement with Canada Border Services Agency is a relief. Sara Lopez says she hopes the move will influence other province’s to end their agreements as well, because she doesn’t understand why they would choose to continue to put people in jail who are escaping from violence. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth announced BC’s decision to end its deal with the agency, saying the arrangement doesn’t align with the province’s stand on human rights. He says BC Corrections has to give Canada Border Services 12 months’ notice as is required under its current contract.
A multi-vehicle crash in Summerland has put a scooter driver in hospital in critical condition. RCMP say the scooter turned left in front of an SUV and while that driver tried to avoid the scooter, they hit another northbound vehicle. The two people in the SUV went to hospital with minor injuries. Police say a collision analysis service will try to piece together what happened.
The BC Wildfire Service says more hot and dry weather into the weekend is expected to contribute to the fire behavior for the Fraser Canyon blaze that remains out of control. The fire is more than 20 square kilometres in size and is growing along the west flank, while crews continue to build containment lines to the south, north and east. The service says an expert in archeological and cultural sites with the Lytton Fire Nation is working with a structure protection crew to ensure areas within the Nlaka’pamux Heritage Park are protected. A smoky skies statement from Environment Canada remains in place, warning that residents in much of the Fraser Canyon will be affected by wildfire smoke.
Former Vancouver Canuck Jake Virtanen is testifying on his own behalf in a B-C Supreme Court trial where he’s accused of sexual assault. Virtanen says his accuser was an “enthusiastic participant” the night they had sex in his Vancouver hotel room in September 2017. Under questioning from his lawyer yesterday, he said through tears that he was in utter disbelief when his agent told him a woman was going to accuse him of sexual misconduct. The woman, whose name is protected by a publication ban, told the jury trial earlier that she repeatedly told Virtanen “no” before he pinned her to the bed and assaulted her.